C Mantz Running

800, 300, 800, 300. 2:07, 41, 2:08, 41, then 2x200m at 30.

"Long Run" for the week.  It really wasn't much of a long run, but Coach wanted me to keep it short, so I did.  I was tempted to keep going with the others, but just had to exercise some self control and limit myself.  I'm excited for Wednesday.   

AM-3 easy miles

PM-4 miles on Pre’s trail, then 2x400, 2x200 at 62, 60, 28, 27. Felt pretty easy for the most part. The first 400 was a bit hard to get into it(that and we were told to run 65, so I thought it would be easier. 

AM-3 easy miles

PM-Not sure on the exact distance, but it was over 3.  Went to the track and did strides.  

AM-2 easy miles as a shakeout.  

Race-Warmed up, felt kinda sick to my stomache.  Not sure if it was something I ate or not.  In a gist, the race was terrible.  As we were on the starting line, it didn't feel like a race to me.  I even had less butterflies than for a workout.  I just felt strange.  Anyway, we started, and I got out faster than I had planned(I'm sure everyone did), and tried to get into a groove.  Well, I thought it went out fast, so I should try and slow it down to 68-70s and just try to run a more even-paced race so that I could have the energy necessary to kick.  I stayed behind Rory for a bit as he started moving up, and thought that this was perfect.  A fast start meant a lot of people would burn themselves out, which is exactly what I was hoping for.  Anyway, after 2km or so, I got passed by the guy in last place and was suddenly in last.  I tried to relax and try to stay with him, but then I just couldn't.  I felt really low on energy.  At 3200m, I saw I was still under 9:20 (I didn't think this at the time, but it was likely a slow mile as at 1600m I was around 4:27), and I told myself to just try to run 70s and then people will come back to me. Well, the next 200m wasn't a 35, and I realized that I was going really slow.  I tried to put more effort in, but my body wasn't responding. It felt like a nightmare, where you try to run fast, but you move insanely slow.  I felt so out of energy.  After 13 laps, the front pack lapped me.  I had a water cup in my hand and I held it out for McMillan to take, but he didn't because he was afraid of that leading to a DQ (which I''m still not sure if it would have).  Anyway, a couple laps later I saw Rory and Clayton getting lapped on the big screen (which was super disheartening) and they were 200m ahead of me.  I made it a goal to catch up to them because I thought maybe there was someone from another team that was around them that I could beat.  About at this point, coach told me I was done, and I think this was him telling me to drop out.  I told him before the race I was feeling sick, and he encouraged me to not think about it and to do my best.  These laps from 8 to the end were some of the hardest of my life.  I knew my family had flown to watch me, and my coaches and school had invested a lot in having me run at nationals, and I was going so slow.  It was just a terrible experience to have them watch me as I just tried to finish.  After I just felt so disappointed in myself.  I felt terrible about everything.  It was so hard to see a bright-side of life, as I'd put so much effort and sacrifice into this race.  I kept thinking about the homework I'd skipped because I wanted to get to bed early, and how it was all to race well.  

\ It was a real bitter end to the season.  I had a lot of hope going into this to finish in the top 8, but it's sad to say that I wasn't even within 2 minutes of that. There is a lot to be learned though, and gratitude and humility are part of those.  Now in reflection of the race a couple weeks later, I'm trying to focus on cross country, and keep my head up.  I know that the infection I had likely played a major role in the lack of energy in the race (I've felt that I have no energy to run for almost the last two weeks).  I'm hoping things go better in the future.  

ran with some guys in the morning on pre’s trail and near the track in the afternoon. Noticed a big bump on my back. 

ran with guys on their shakeout, warm up and cool down, then had to run with some of the girls on the team at night because they were kinda scared of running alone in the dark.  I had a big bump on my back that kept hurting. It hurt to walk, sit, not so much to run though. Judd operated on it with a needle, but couldn’t get anything other than blood out. Pain was consistent through my entire hip. 

Didn’t sleep well last night, I kept waking up in pain. Later I thought I’d be good to go for a run. Bad idea. I ran with some of the guys for a bit, but the pain on my back, side, and lower stomach area was pretty bad. Called it quits later than I should’ve. Went to an urgency care in Eugene and got it numbed and they dug pretty deep hoping to find puss, but only a lot of blood. The rest of the day was spent getting antibiotics and laying in bed. Connor McMillan got a get-well card and had a lot of athletes sign it at the meet, even a few on their victory laps. I’m not sure if this effected me in the race at all,  but there’s a chance, although I also think it was something we ate.

Thought my body would be feeling good enough to run.  Had a rough day yesterday where I was in a crazy amount of pain during church and throughout other parts of the day.  Advil helped when I took it though.  Today was not a good run.  I went 4 pretty slow in the afternoon, turned around, and had little energy to run back.  It just felt so hard to run.  I stopped at the track on the way to the locker room and got a drink from one of the drinking fountains, sat down for 10 minutes, then walked the last half mile.  It was a pretty miserable experience.  I won't be running again for a few days.  

AM-Went for a 6 mile easy run with Connor Ross.  Still felt really tired. 

PM-Again, felt tired, but ran 4 miles in the afternoon.   The trainer inspected my infection in my back and it had started oozing puss, so he got a lot out and set up a doctor's appointment.  The Doctor in Oregon said I should be healed by tomorrow (or atleast the infection should be gone, the hole would still be there).

Had the most painful time where the doctor tried to clean the infection.  It was just filled with him squeezing my back and blood just spilling out with the occasional chunk of puss.  Later I went for a 10 mile run.  Still felt low on energy and just to run an easy pace felt hard.  

12 miles with a few of the guys.  I kept telling them to slow it down because they had a race next week (Jake and Danny are racing at USAs).  They didn't, because we weren't actually going too quick.  I was really saying that because of how low I felt on energy.  It seemed like every step I had to think about and was just hard.  It reminded me of when I had my stress reaction in high school. 

AM-10 easy miles.  Still a painful.  I ran after another doctor's appointment, where he took out some stuff and the stuffed the hole with other stuff again.  

AM-10 easy miles.

PM-5 easy miles with strides. 

Still felt low on energy today.  Better than last week though.  

AM-4 easy miles.

PM-12 miles with Josh Ward when it was HOT.

It still felt hard to run, but today was easily the best day so far.  Having to think about keeping up with Josh was a bit frustrating.  

AM-10 miles with some of the guys.  Nice and easy, and it actually felt easy this time.  I haven't felt this good in over 2 weeks.  

After I had another doctor's appointment.  He said that the infection will likely be gone by Sunday and then the incision will start to heal.  Hurray!

PM-5 miles.  I went and ran some grass loops and it felt pretty good.  

If anyone cares, I finally updated the race for nationals, so if you want to read that it's up. 

am-8 easy miles with McMillan.

PM-5 easy miles with Aiden and Cade.

15 mile long run. Felt good. 

AM-10 miles.  Went with McMillan and Brayden to run the famous grinder that American Fork runs.  Honestly, it was pretty tough and it surprised me at how steep it was.  We did just enough to stay ahead of the high schoolers, but not enough that it was a race.  After we went on our own run through American Fork and I felt fairly tired. The only part I felt good at was actually the first part of the grinder.  

PM-5 miles.  The team was putting on one of the high school camps, and I decided that after my class I'd go and run with some of the kids.  It was pretty fun running with them.  They had a short fartlek workout and then we did some core.  There was a plank competition and I got my butt kicked by some of the high schoolers.  Hurt both my abs and my pride, haha. 

AM-medium long run with strides.(around 12-12.5 miles).  I felt pretty good.  Got to catch up with Zac Jacklin so that was nice.  

PM-ran with some of the summer campers.  It was pretty fun to run with them.  I'm not technically signed up to help with the camps, but I'm trying to show up and help out.  It's a good break between studying and class.  

AM-10 easy miles.  I felt pretty good.  I need to get back on a good diet and sleep schedule.  Too many chips and ice cream.  

PM-5 miles in 100 degree weather.

Trail run with Clayson and Adam in the morning.  It was pretty tough at some portions, but I liked it as long as it wasn't really rocky.  

PM- 5 easy miles with a gropu of guys on the team. 

AM-10 easy miles on fire road.

15 mile long run and then a run trying to find a canoe I crashed with a few of the guys on the team. At least ran .4 miles.